WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.830 When a company says that their product 00:00:01.830 --> 00:00:03.726 is green, eco-friendly or sustainable 00:00:03.726 --> 00:00:06.060 that's, good for the environment, right? 00:00:07.361 --> 00:00:08.911 Welll, maybe. 00:00:10.526 --> 00:00:12.526 is greenwashing. What? 00:00:12.597 --> 00:00:14.397 Greenwashing. It's when the company 00:00:14.397 --> 00:00:16.715 makes unsupportive claims that mislead 00:00:16.715 --> 00:00:18.374 customers into thinking that their 00:00:18.374 --> 00:00:20.635 products are sustainable or eco-friendly. 00:00:20.635 --> 00:00:22.393 This makes the companies to appeal to 00:00:22.393 --> 00:00:24.296 their environmental mind of consumer 00:00:24.296 --> 00:00:25.903 without actually having to make 00:00:25.903 --> 00:00:27.009 meaningful changes in 00:00:27.009 --> 00:00:28.210 their business practices. 00:00:28.210 --> 00:00:30.233 And that's not cool for you 00:00:30.353 --> 00:00:32.553 or the planete that we live on. No it's not. 00:00:32.567 --> 00:00:35.217 Greenwashing is a big problem 00:00:35.217 --> 00:00:37.042 and there's so many moving parts. 00:00:37.042 --> 00:00:39.134 So, in fact, why greenwashing happens? 00:00:39.134 --> 00:00:41.333 And how you can use your power as a 00:00:41.333 --> 00:00:43.136 conscious consumer to help? 00:00:47.793 --> 00:00:50.783 Wow. Sustainable explainable. 00:00:51.656 --> 00:00:54.311 So, why would businesses actually decide 00:00:54.311 --> 00:00:55.384 to greenwash? 00:00:55.738 --> 00:00:58.408 According to one survey, 66% of the 00:00:58.408 --> 00:01:00.044 respondents said that they takes 00:01:00.044 --> 00:01:01.835 sustainability into account whenever 00:01:01.835 --> 00:01:02.854 they are shopping. 00:01:03.185 --> 00:01:05.237 So it's no surprise that businesses are 00:01:05.237 --> 00:01:07.761 trying to attract this growing audience. 00:01:07.796 --> 00:01:09.929 As businesses are scrambling to meet the 00:01:09.929 --> 00:01:11.796 desires of the market, many of them are 00:01:11.796 --> 00:01:13.847 finding that just slapping a green sticker 00:01:13.847 --> 00:01:15.922 on something and calling it a day is 00:01:15.922 --> 00:01:17.783 way easier and cheaper than making 00:01:17.783 --> 00:01:19.615 the fundamental changes that customers 00:01:19.705 --> 00:01:21.158 are actually looking for. 00:01:21.158 --> 00:01:23.323 And you definitely have seen greenwashing 00:01:23.323 --> 00:01:24.335 at the stores. 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:25.819 You know the picture ads 00:01:25.819 --> 00:01:27.584 with nature scenes, the strategically 00:01:27.584 --> 00:01:30.445 placed leaves an, of course, lots and lots 00:01:30.445 --> 00:01:31.466 of green. 00:01:31.663 --> 00:01:33.973 And if it's green, it must be good right? 00:01:34.108 --> 00:01:35.148 Not always 00:01:35.502 --> 00:01:37.463 And this can be so confusing 00:01:37.463 --> 00:01:39.653 as a customer because you just want to go 00:01:39.653 --> 00:01:41.990 to the store, buy what you need without 00:01:41.990 --> 00:01:44.341 destroying the planet making eco-friendly 00:01:44.341 --> 00:01:45.691 choices and go home. 00:01:46.268 --> 00:01:48.707 But greenwashing floods the market with 00:01:48.707 --> 00:01:50.439 so many products that claim to be 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:52.407 environmentally friendly when they're 00:01:52.407 --> 00:01:54.208 actually not. And that makes it very 00:01:54.208 --> 00:01:56.176 difficult for users and consumers to make 00:01:56.176 --> 00:01:58.007 the best sustainable choice. 00:01:58.017 --> 00:02:00.023 And this even with cleaning products 00:02:00.533 --> 00:02:03.311 that claim to be non-toxic when they are actually toxic. 00:02:03.579 --> 00:02:06.606 Or a strawless lid that turns out to have 00:02:06.606 --> 00:02:09.134 more plastic in it than a lid and a straw. 00:02:09.515 --> 00:02:10.540 And furthermore, 00:02:10.540 --> 00:02:11.558 if a company sold you 00:02:11.558 --> 00:02:13.272 a plastic cup that used to have a 00:02:13.272 --> 00:02:15.308 plastic straw and you take off the plastic 00:02:15.318 --> 00:02:17.324 straw and no longer have a plastic straw 00:02:17.324 --> 00:02:19.288 The plastic cup that they sold you 00:02:19.288 --> 00:02:21.072 is still unsustainable. Greenwashing. 00:02:21.637 --> 00:02:22.815 Greenwashing can come in 00:02:22.815 --> 00:02:23.963 so many different forms. 00:02:24.146 --> 00:02:25.676 We are on a look-out for 00:02:25.906 --> 00:02:28.830 suggestive imagery, selective disclosure 00:02:29.443 --> 00:02:34.363 symbolic actions, hidden trades off lack of proof, vagueness 00:02:34.505 --> 00:02:36.075 and over inflated phrases. 00:02:37.605 --> 00:02:39.615 At this point you're probably ready to 00:02:39.617 --> 00:02:41.807 tossing the towel of green consumerism, 00:02:41.807 --> 00:02:44.780 but don't, hold on to that towel 00:02:45.163 --> 00:02:46.323 because there is hope. 00:02:47.671 --> 00:02:49.661 Green products, they do exist. 00:02:50.126 --> 00:02:52.135 And here's what you can do as consumer to 00:02:52.135 --> 00:02:53.532 make sure that your practices 00:02:53.532 --> 00:02:55.374 are green win instead of 00:02:55.374 --> 00:02:56.457 greenwash 00:02:58.015 --> 00:03:00.708 Look for evidence. And if it seems vague 00:03:00.835 --> 00:03:02.783 then toss on your detective cap and see 00:03:02.783 --> 00:03:04.421 if you can find some confirmation. 00:03:04.421 --> 00:03:06.192 Look for a third party certification. 00:03:06.192 --> 00:03:07.872 These third party 00:03:07.872 --> 00:03:09.683 certifications help to confirm that a 00:03:09.683 --> 00:03:10.872 product is eco-friendly. 00:03:10.872 --> 00:03:12.467 Look for stamps of approval like 00:03:12.477 --> 00:03:14.997 FSC certified, USDA Organic, Energy Star 00:03:14.997 --> 00:03:16.335 and Fair Trade USA. 00:03:16.586 --> 00:03:18.908 Be aware of plain language like 00:03:18.908 --> 00:03:21.668 one hundred percent Earth friendly, or 00:03:21.810 --> 00:03:23.730 completely sustainable. If it sounds too 00:03:23.730 --> 00:03:26.249 good to be true, probably is. 00:03:26.349 --> 00:03:28.239 Make sure that this clear marketing 00:03:28.239 --> 00:03:29.787 when referring to eco claims. 00:03:29.787 --> 00:03:31.047 When looking at a product 00:03:31.047 --> 00:03:33.082 marketing should tell you if the packaging 00:03:33.082 --> 00:03:35.559 or the product, or both are sustainable. 00:03:35.559 --> 00:03:37.076 And lastly, do your best. 00:03:37.424 --> 00:03:39.703 In an age of fast paced information 00:03:39.703 --> 00:03:41.776 updates and a changing sustainability 00:03:41.776 --> 00:03:43.968 landscape, it's truly difficult to know 00:03:43.968 --> 00:03:45.470 whether or not you are making a 00:03:45.470 --> 00:03:46.810 right decision as a customer 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:48.773 But remember these large companies that 00:03:48.773 --> 00:03:50.639 need to change and that the load of the 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.410 world is not on your shoulders but 00:03:52.410 --> 00:03:53.927 your choices do have an impact. 00:03:53.992 --> 00:03:56.132 These companies listen to the market 00:03:56.132 --> 00:03:57.684 and they listen to the consumer. 00:03:57.684 --> 00:03:59.378 Every day, we have lots and lots of 00:03:59.378 --> 00:04:00.500 decisions that we make. 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:02.409 That means we have lots and lots of 00:04:02.409 --> 00:04:04.256 opportunities to make sustainable 00:04:04.256 --> 00:04:05.270 decisions. 00:04:05.270 --> 00:04:07.669 So stick in there. You're not alone 00:04:07.669 --> 00:04:09.434 because we are in this together. 00:04:11.047 --> 00:04:12.057 Thanks for watching 00:04:12.057 --> 00:04:13.487 and if you're a little curious 00:04:13.487 --> 00:04:15.009 and you want to know more about 00:04:15.009 --> 00:04:16.401 greenwashing, go to the link 00:04:16.401 --> 00:04:18.208 in our bio and also go to our website 00:04:18.208 --> 00:04:20.952 sustainable-earth.org to be up to date 00:04:20.952 --> 00:04:22.606 on all things sustainability.